Fire ravages commercial towers in Kanpur, dousing operations underway
Kanpur (UP) (PTI): At least 500 shops were gutted in a massive fire that broke out in a multi-storey commercial building and quickly spread to adjacent towers in Bansmandi area here early Friday, a senior official said.
Prime facie the fire broke out due to a short circuit following a massive dust storm.
The blaze started at 2 am in AR Tower also known as Afaq Rasool Tower and spread to Maqsood, Humraz complex and Nafees towers charring about 500 shops located in these four towers, the official said, adding strong winds fanned the flames.
According to the senior official, goods and cash worth about Rs 100 crore were gutted in the fire.
Joint Commissioner of Police (law and order) Anand Prakash Tiwari told PTI that several fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire which is yet to be doused.
Fire fighters have been battling for hours to douse the blaze, JCP added.
An SOS call has been made to all neighbouring districts, including Kanpur Dehat, Unnao, Lucknow and Kannauj, to dispatch fire tenders to assist in the operation, he said, adding firemen have successfully prevented the fire from further spreading.
The shops in all the four towers have been gutted and goods worth crores completely destroyed, the JCP said.
"The building didn't adhere to fire safety norms," another official said.
Kanpur: A massive fire broke out during the early hours today in AR Tower in Basmandi area in Kanpur. At least 15-16 fire tenders on the spot to douse the fire.
— Ahmed Khabeer احمد خبیر (@AhmedKhabeer_) March 31, 2023
pic.twitter.com/QxcMlzyml9
Fire Accident in Kanpur Today Morning pic.twitter.com/1izfF23Squ
— Chetna Manch (@ManchChetna) March 31, 2023
UP | A massive fire broke out during the early hours today in AR Tower in the Basmandi area in Kanpur
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 31, 2023
The fire is under control now. No person trapped in the building: Ajay Kumar, Deputy Director, UP Fire Service pic.twitter.com/23TNshud5S
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Trump says suspect was armed with multiple weapons at WH correspondents' dinner
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump is addressing reporters at the White House after he and other top leaders of the United States were evacuated from an annual dinner of White House correspondents on Saturday night after a shooting incident outside the ballroom.
Trump said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons before stopped by Secret Service. One officer was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job,” Trump said.
